Wireless Powered Surface Acoustic Wave Platform for Achieving Integrated Functions of Fogging/Icing Protection and Monitoring

In this study, we introduced an integrated approach using piezoelectric thin film-based surface acoustic wave (SAW) and wireless power transfer (WPT) technologies, designed for both passive monitoring and active defogging/icing functions. We systematically investigated the resonant frequency shifts of ZnO/glass SAW devices, establishing their correlations with variations in humidity and temperature under cold conditions. Acoustic waves generated through the ZnO/glass SAW device were used for defogging and deicing functions with effects of RF powers and acousto-heating thoroughly evaluated. More significantly, the WPT system was successfully applied for achieving defogging and deicing functions, with its performance comparable to that of conventional wired SAW systems. Our findings demonstrated that the WPT SAW system significantly minimizes localized acousto-heating effects, although the time taken for both defogging and deicing was slightly longer than the wired system. This work represents a significant advancement in developing multifunctional, optically compatible, and wireless-integrated solutions for SAW based ice protection.